Ellie's Epilogue
by The Abbot of Beregost
Summary: The aftermath of Ellie and Joel arriving in Wyoming... rating currently for Ellie being absolutely foul-mouthed (and Lord knows, we wouldn't want her any other way.) One shot.


**A/N:** Just something I came up with as I had a Maker's Mark. Songs are 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken' off the Bioshock Infinite soundtrack, and Boundary County by Eileen Jewell. All glory goes to Naughty Dog and respective artists on this one. Perspective is...well, Ellie.

I felt sick to my stomach. I had come to as Joel was skirting around the Des Moines quarantine zone. He had stopped in silence. My backpack was there, I guess. I felt like shit from the drugs, and something was wrong.

And then he lied to me.

About a hour later, he had to stop so I could puke up whatever was in my system. I changed out of the dressing gown, and I thought about the Fireflies and everything. It didn't make sense. I slammed the door, I guess, because he looked over at me. He smirked, and I could tell something wasn't right with him. I felt like my guts were gonna explode, so I just fuckin' lay there and listen to the music on loop. I didn't eat, and Joel had to force me to have the water.

He lied straight to my face again right outside Tommy's, and I knew something had gone wrong. I felt sick, not just from the drugs. I felt soul-sick. He can be such a fucking martyr some days. I just shook my head and we wandered into town. Maria waved us in, and before I knew it, Tommy was there. He threw his arms around Joel, and they hugged. Honest to God, they hugged. I think for the first time when we weren't sleeping or in the car, I saw Joel take off his backpack. He put down his rifle and everything, and he and his brother just hugged a minute. He turned back to me, and held out his hand.

"C'mon, baby girl," he said me, smiling. He just shook my head.

"I still feel like shit. Maria, can you show me to the can?"

I sat there for ten minutes, washed my face. Came out. She was waiting for me.

"So."

"So what?"

Her eyes narrowed. She planted her hands on her hips.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin'."

I stared at the ground, followed her. She glanced back at me like fifty times. Made me feel like an idiot. She shook her head. "C'mon now, then."

I tagged along. There was a little party around a campfire. Everyone ate and drank, and Joel was welcomed back. I was ignored, but that's fine. I wandered off as soon as I could. Snagged a beer, and another. I remembered being there, the building falling down in flames around us, mouthing those words to Joel. Him telling me that it'll be okay.

Fuck it.

I headed for my room. I was going to fuckin' bolt, I swear...then I heard it. The notes of a guitar. Two of them, actually.

"_Will the circle/be unbroken_?" I heard him sing.

"_By and by/ oh, by and by_?" Tommy responded.

"_Is a better home awaitin'?"_

"_In the sky, oh in the sky_?"

"_One by one, the seats were emptied_, " he sung, voice cracking, " _And one by one, they went away. Now the family is parted...will it be complete one day_?"

I stepped into the back room, the bunk area of the dam. Tommy and Joel were there, each with a guitar. Between them, there was a half-empty bottle of something with a red wax cap. They were both pretty drunk.

Joel just looked at me as I came in, backpack on one shoulder. He reached for the bottle, took a slug. His eyes narrowed.

"Goin' somewhere, Ellie?" he asked evenly. He wobbled in his seat.

"Not yet."

"Well then, c'mere. Take a seat, I'mma teach you gui-tar," he said, pushing the instrument off his lap. He reached for the bottle, took a swig. I shook my head.

"How about you sing me a song, Joel?" I asked, putting down my bag and sitting on it. Hell, I figured it would give me an excuse to storm out, grab a horse and bolt. Nope. He nodded, and turned to his brother, bottle extended.

" ' Member _'Boundary County?'" _he asked, and Tommy nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah," he said, pulling the guitar back onto his lap.

"_Say hello to Boundary County..."_ he started as Tommy took a slug. I cracked a stolen beer, and both of them looked at me. Tommy looked at Joel, and he shrugged. The song continued. I took a sip...nasty as shit. I don't know why Joel loves the things so damn much.

"_Ah miss the barbed wire, and the sage/On that wild northern range/ The giant staring sky_..."

The two of them spent all night on their guitars, killed the bottle. I just sat there and listened. I thought. They sang nothing but country...but still. It was good to see Joel like that. Finally, we all crawled to our bunks.

I stayed. The next morning, as we sat around the table with Tommy and Maria, we talked about guitar lessons, and school.

It felt right. Joel laughed as he scooped more butter into his grits. It still amazed me, seeing him relax. He swirled in the butter, laughed as Maria made a joke. Tommy held his head, sucking down a chicory tea. For once, Joel didn't seem to have anything on his mind beyond what was in front of him.

"Tommy, I hate to say it, but all we're missing is the Chronicle, the Cowboys, and a decent cup of coffee," he grunted, wiping at his beard. Not a word of that made sense to me...then again, Joel lived one foot in this world, one foot in the last.

And for once, he was smiling.


End file.
